‘Seraphine’ tops Cesar Awards

'Christmas Tale,' 'Class' also nab honors

“Seraphine,” a modestly budgeted biopic of Gallic painter Seraphine de Senlis, took top honors Friday at France’s 34th Cesar Awards, with seven nods including film, original screenplay and actress for Yolande Moreau.

Moreau previously won two Cesars for “When the Sea Rises,” which she starred in and co-directed with Gilles Porte in 2004.

“I would like to thank Seraphine, who disappeared during the 1930s Depression but apparently is getting her luck back from this crisis,” said thesp-turned-helmer Martin Provost.

Another strong contender in the film category was “Public Enemy Number One,” the biopic about French bank robber Jacques Mesrine, which had garnered a record 10 noms. The pic ended up with three Cesars, including director for Jean-Francois Richet and actor for Vincent Cassel.

BAFTA foreign-film winner “I’ve Loved You So Long” garnered nods for first film for helmer Philippe Claudel and supporting actress Elsa Zylberstein.

Jean-Paul Roussillon won supporting actor laurels for his turn as a family patriarch in Arnaud Desplechin’s “A Christmas Tale.”

Known for playing rebellious tough guys, Cassel was previously nommed for Cesars for Jacques Audiard’s “Read My Lips” and Mathieu Kassovitz’s “Hate.”

“One day, as I was in therapy and I said, ‘Jesus, the only time I ever felt centered in my life is when I’m playing someone else,’ ” said Hoffman, in tears. “There is a corpse inside of us all, and that corpse represents the person we’re not; and acting allows me to know that person better.”